Pioneer Unit

The recent wave of brutal xenophobic attacks on fellow African brothers and sisters in South Africa has left 56 people dead, 650 injured and tens of thousands of innocent people displaced and living in fear. The situation is fast becoming a humanitarian crisis.

The South African government has begun to set up ‘shelters’ to house people seeking refuge from the violence. These ‘shelters’ are being described by international aid agencies as ‘refugee camps’.

The Hip Hop community has come together to raise its voice in protest against this unacceptable situation. We want to let the world know that we condemn these attacks, and that whilst many South Africans are living in situations of unacceptable poverty and hardship, turning on fellow Africans is not the solution.

Pioneer Unit is supporting various anti-xenophobia initiatives. Rattex and Ben Sharpa will be performing at 2 awareness and fund-raising gigs this weekend (see below). We have also contributed tracks to Emile YX’s Heal the Hood CD and book project (more details soon). We will also be contributing to Nymabz’s forthcoming anti-xenophobia mixtape as well as releasing our own material. Keep it locked for more info.

State of Emergency (CPT)_

Date and Time: Sunday 1st June @ 12.00 - 19.00
Venue: All NYz, Gugulethu Sports Complex, Cape Town.
Cost: FREE! Please donate clothes, blankets, nappies and non-perishable food.
Performances: Rattex, Driemanskaap, Nosisi, Tapedeck Circuitry, Jitsvinger, Sketch, Khanyi & many more.
Speakers: Emile YX, Lizo (Round Table), Xito
DJs: Quake
Dancers: Black Noise
State of Emergency Facebook Event page

Headz Against Violence (JHB)_

Date and Time: Sunday 1st June @ 12.00 - 22.00
Venue: Baseline, Newtown, Joburg.
Cost: R50 Please donate clothes, blankets, nappies and non-perishable food.
Performances: Ben Sharpa, Tumi, Tuks, The Hymphatic Thabs, Reason, Middle Finga, Snazz-D, Koldproduk, Jub Jub, Zubz, Jozi & many more.
DJs: Papercutt, Bionic, Kenzhero, Beatoven, Redwood & Raiko
Headz Against Violence Facebook Event page

Ben Sharpa will be taking his next-level robot army Hip Hop to Europe this coming June and July to create mayhem with heavyweight UK Bass Music producer, Milanese. For a taste of what to expect, check out the first track on Milanese’s Myspace page.

Ben Sharpa + Milanese Euro Tour Dates 2008:

• June 6th - Warp Light District - Rotterdam, The Netherlands
• June 28th - S7 (disko404) - Graz, Austria
• July 11th - Bangface - London, UK
• July 18th - Dour Festival - Dour, Belgium
• July 19th - Extrema Festival - Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Ben will also be participating in MCs for Life as part of Bass Festival in Birmingham, UK, on 28th and 29th of June. Other participants include Black Thought, Lord Finesse, Rich Medina, Ursula Rucker, DJ Spooky, Tumi, Nappo, Omekongo, Lebo Mashile, Charlie Dark, Hymphatic Thabs and many more.

If you would like to book Ben Sharpa & Milanese, contact Paul at Surefire Agency: paul [at] surefireagency [dot] com

That’s how we rrrrrrrrroll!!

The party on Saturday was OFF THE HOOK!! Big ups to Loggaheadz and everyone involved (Johnny Steaknife, Garlic Brown, Enmity and Diddi Yang) - definitely the most banging party since the Planetary Assault Launch.

People keep telling us that Hip Hop club nights just don’t work and that you need to make superficial pop music to bring in crowds and sponsors. We’ve never believed these people and we never will!

Naturally Pioneer Unit represented to the fullest with ill performances from The Realist, KONFAB, Ben Sharpa & Rattex.

Check out some photos…

Kid Klever in battle mode (click for larger image).

KONFAB artikulating (click for larger image).

KONFAB, gift of gab (click for larger image).

The crowd (click for larger image).

Ben Sharpa and The Realist (click for larger image).

Kid Klever (click for larger image).

Triplet of Bellville and the singer from Enmity (click for larger image).

It’s REAL! (click for larger image).

Salute the Kaptin (click for larger image).

B. Sharpa (click for larger image).

Rattex in the house! (click for larger image).

Sharpa and Rattex (click for larger image).

Sharpa and The Realist tell it like it is (click for larger image).

Check out the full set of photos here.

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

If you’re in Cape Town this Saturday 24th May, come down to Mercury Live (43 De Villiers Street) to support Pioneer Unit in an international battle royale against Diddi Yang Records from Namibia.

Most of you already know Ben Sharpa and KONFAB, but you have to come and check out our newest signing, The Realist. Trust me, you’ve never heard anything like it!!

It’s gonna be a crazy evening full of suprise guests, giveaways, open mic battles and general chaos.

Here’s the info… see you there!…

The Lineup..

……………………………..
Pioneer Unit:
Ben Sharpa
The Realist
Konfab
……………………………..
Diddi Yang:
Die Vegas en Parow Show
Wyte Bread
Anonamystix
 ……………………………..

Beats all night will be presented by none other than DJ QUAKE (Choice Records)

Host for the night will be Johnny Steaknife

Special-Guest Performances by: Enmity (Band); Garlic Brown and the new Spaza sensation, Rattex.

VJ: Digital Lama

• Open-Mic MC Battle!!
• Free HeadKnocks Gear up for grabs
• Awesome Visuals
• Drink Specials all night

Tickets are on the door only.
R30 before 10.30 | R40 Thereafter

Doors open at 9.

Not only is Rattex the Mixtape King of South Africa, he’s also the hardest working man in SA Hip Hop, putting in work every day to bring the people what they want!

Check out Rah’s remix of Akon’s Smack That. The track originally featured Eminem but this time it’s all Rah.

Smack That (Remix) - Rattex - MP3 - (3.56MB)

Smack That (Remix) - Rattex - ZIP - (3.53MB)

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

Rattex is fast becoming the Mixtape King of South Africa - and the bangers just don’t stop!

Check out Rah’s remix of Young Jeezy’s Soul Survivor featuring Akon and Sizzla.

Soul Survivor - Rattex - MP3 - (4.64MB)

Soul Survivor - Rattex - ZIP - (4.45MB)

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

Last Saturday 10th May I was honoured to be invited to be a judge at the Conscious Connectionz Be Heard! concert to celebrate the achievements of the learners from four schools in Cape Town; Andile Junior Secondary, Heideveld High School, Kensington High School and Lentegeur High School.

Over the past three months, learners from these schools have attended the Conscious Connectionz workshops that raise awareness of HIV/AIDS to fight its spread by promoting identity, self-empowerment and independent decision-making in response to meeting the Millennium Development Goal (MGD) in 2015.

In order to internalize the Conscious Connectionz workshops in their own lives, the learners were challenged to narrate what they have learned in the form of a poem, spoken word, lyricism or song. As part of the Conscious Connectionz project, these expressions were then recorded using a mobile recording studio. The learners that best narrated their peer’s voices from each school competed live against each other at Be Heard! for a grand prize of R5,000 (and R5,000 to their school) - and that’s where me (and the two other judges came in).

I got to Joseph Stone Auditorium in Athlone at 3pm and the place was already packed. The kids were going wild to all kinds of crunk and snap courtesy of DJ Azhul. A number of dance battles popped off in the auditorium while we waited for the show to begin.

I met up with the other two judges, Teba (The Original Social Worker) and the host of MK89’s Hip Hop, Contro’Versy, and we took our seats as the show began. We were treated to a really professional and entertaining show as the kids came out and performed their pieces. First up were the kids who didn’t qualify for the final. Some of them were obviously nervous stepping out in front of a packed auditorium, but they still managed to do their thing. The partisan support from the crowd was wild, although I did feel a bit sorry for the kids from Heideveld as they seemed to have brought the least people with them.

Before the main event, crews from the various schools held an impromptu dance battle. The standards were pretty high, but the attitude and energy was intense!

Then it was time for the main event - the competition to see who was going to walk away with R5,000 for themselves and an additional R5,000 for their school. There were four finalists, one from each school. First up was a learner from Kensington (I think) who rapped and sang. Next was a learner from Lentegeur who recited a poem. She was followed by a learner from Andile who also recited a poem, but this time in Xhosa. Finally a learner from Heideveld performed a rap.

It was tough to have to choose a winner when everyone had put so much work in, but that’s how it had to go down. Although everyone did really well, we felt that there was a clear winner. The person we chose impressed us because she wrote a memorable song with a catchy hook - perfect ‘edutainment’ to get the message across.

The winner was Amanda Bonani from Heideveld. It was really moving to see how much it meant to her. Her victory was even more impressive as she had performed earlier and forgotten her lyrics. When she tried again, she got feedback from the mic and left the stage having not managed to do her thing. It took a lot of courage to come back and perform again, especially as Heideveld had the least support in the audience (in terms of numbers).

Big ups to DJ Eazy and the whole Faculty of Hip Hop for giving me the chance to participate in this event, and maximum respect to Conscious Connectionz for their important work.

Check out some photos…

Impromptu dance battles (click for larger image).

DJ Eazy hosting the show (click for larger image).

More dance battles (click for larger image).

The big finale (click for larger image).

Teba addresses the crowd shortly before announcing the winner (click for larger image).

The kids posing for the photographers (click for larger image).

Check out the full set of photos here.

Check out the Conscious Connectionz website here.

Check out the Faculty of Hip Hop website here.

That’s how we rrrrrrrrroll!!

Another day, another FREE download! Check out your boy Rah on a remix of This is Why I’m Hot by Mims. The remix also features the vocals of reggae legend Junior ‘One Blood’ Reid.

This is Why I’m Hot Remix - Rattex - MP3 - (3.86MB)

This is Why I’m Hot Remix - Rattex - ZIP - (3.76MB)

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

Today we’ve got something for the ladies - don’t front, we know you love Chris Brown! Check out the spaza remix with your boy Rah! If you’re a dude, download it for your girl!…

Kiss Kiss Remix - Rattex - MP3 - (5.08MB)

Kiss Kiss Remix - Rattex - ZIP - (5.02MB)

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

“Underground alludes to your mindset, and Commercial is about your following and financial status. Commercial music has absolutely nothing to do with your level of consciousness and how you express your humanity.”

Check out the interview with Ben Sharpa on Futurespace.co.za.

That’s how we rrrrrrrrrroll!!

We’ve got another Spaza banger for you to download for FREE!.

Check out this brand new remix of Cape Town (iKapa) featuring Ma-B and El Nino from Driemanskap. The original track is on Rattex’s newly released 7784 Mixtape.

Cape Town (iKapa) Remix - Rattex Ft. Driemanskap - MP3 - (3.99MB)

Cape Town (iKapa) Remix - Rattex Ft. Driemanskap - ZIP - (3.95MB)

That’s how we rrrrrrrroll!!